Vegetable peeler



June 16, 1942. H W EAKlNS 2,286,352

VEGETABLE PEELER Filed `March 6, 1940 FIL-hl FIG-5 w P Mm raw/v aan?C010 TIN@ 0F Patented June 16, 1942 y' UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEVEGETABLE PEELER Herbert W. Eakins, Springfield, Ohio Application March6, 1940, Serial No. 322,561

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to peeling machines, and more particularlyto that type of machine for peeling potatoes and other vegetables, inwhich the receptacle for holding the vegetables to be peeled is providedat its bottom with a rotatable disc on which the mass of vegetablesrests. The upper surface of the disc and the interior wall of thereceptacle are usually provided with abrasive surfaces whereby the skinsof the vegetables are scoured or removed therefrom.

The primary object of the present invention is to increase theefficiency and output of this type of machine. Whereas in the prior-artform of machine the rotatable disc is continually rotated, in myimproved machine, as will be described hereinafter, this disc isoscillated, thereby increasing the relative velocities between thepotatoes and the abrasive surfaces and thus enhancing the skin-peelingeffects.

Another feature, according to the present invention, is the use of animproved agitator secured to the rotatable disc which performs not onlythe agitating function but also serves to secure the abrasive disc tothe spider which is oscillated by the operating mechanism.

In still another aspect of the invention I have provided an improvedabrasive surface that is completely covered with a vitreous enamel andtherefore is highly sanitary, and yet the keenness of the cutting orscouring edges of the abrasive particles is not appreciably affected.

Other objects and features will be apparent from a perusal of thespecification in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken across the improved peelingmachine, but with certain portions of the operating mechanism inelevation. e

Figure 2 Vis a plan View looking down on top of the machine.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan of the rotary disc tilted slightly inperspective to show fastening of the agitator wire.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing one of theways in which the abrasive material can be secured to the rotating discand the side of the receptacle, in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 5 shows still another method of securing the abrasive particlesto the metal.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View, in diagram, showing a modified actuatingmechanism for oscillating the machine,

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral I designatesa deep drawn metal receptacle of cylindrical conguration, closed Aat thebottom as indicated at I except for a pair of openings 2, and having arolled-over edge 3 at the top. This edge supports a flat webbed bar il.This bar is provided with a portion 5 which overhangs the receptacle Iand has a depending flange E which lits snugly into the interior of thereceptacle I at the diametral portion thereof. The flange members Ii aresecured to the receptacle I by means of screw bolts, indicated at 6. Thebar is also provided at the center with a depending hub portion 'I whichserves as the upper bearing for a vertical shaft 8. The lower end ofthis shaft is mounted in a bearing 9 which is secured in any suitableand wellknown manner to the bottom plate I. The bottom plate I isprovided with a depressed peripheral portion so as to confine the waterycontents of the receptacle to this position. The openings 2 arepreferably located in this depressed portion.

The shaft 8 is extended upwardly beyond the bar 4 and terminates in abevel gear or pinion I. This gear is supported in a horizontal plane bythe lower leg of a U-shaped bracket II, the vertical arms of which, attheir upper ends, serve as bearings for a relatively large bevel ringgear I2. The teeth of the gear I2 mesh with the bevel gear I0. The sideof the ring gear I2 opposite the teeth is provided with a slot formed bya pair of upstanding projections I3, which slot slidably engages one endof a relatively long lever I4, the latter serving as the actuatingelement for rotating the gear I2. The lever may be held within the slotsby a pair of bolts I5. The bar 4 is provided with an opening I6 which isadapted to receive the nozzle of a hose II through which water may besupplied to the interior of the receptacle I.

The shaft 8 carries at its lower end av spider I8 of heavy metal, and isprovided with a hub I9 pinned to the shaft as indicated at 2. The spidermay take any suitable conguration, but as shown in Figure 3, thiselement is constituted of four arms 20 arranged in quadrature. Thisspider supports a disc 2I which has a pair of openings 22 near the outerperiphery for receiving a rod member 23, which is spaced from the discby means of Washers 24 and is provided with hooked ends 24 which projectthrough the openings 22 and hook over the lower surface of the spiderI8. The rod 23 thus serves to secure the disc 2| to the spider, and inorder to increase the effectiveness by which this securement is 0btained the lower surface of the spider may be provided with a flangeportion indicated at in Figure 3, on which the hooked portions of therod 23 can obtain a good grip. It will be noted that, due to the spacingeffect of the washers 24, the horizontal portion of the rod 23 is spaceda distance upwardly from the disc 2|, this space being indicated inFigure 1 of the drawing at 26. As will be pointed out hereinafter therod 23, in addition to serving as a securing means between the disc andthe spider, also has the important function of causing the vegetablecontent of the receptacle I to be agitated as the disc 2| is oscillated.

Practically the entire interior surface of the receptacle I and theentire upper surface of the disc 2| are provided with an abrasivecoating. This coating is of an improved character, and is highlyefcacious in removing the skins or outer coverings of the vegetablesplaced Within the receptacle. The coating, in enlarged detail, is shownin Figure 4, while Figure 5 illustrates a modified form of coating. Theentire interior cylindrical surface of the receptacle I, also the uppersurface of the disc 2|, has rst applied thereto, in accordance with thecoating shown in Figure 4, a layer of a vitreous enamel. This enamel mayinclude a water solvent.

When the enamel has partially dried and is in a sticky condition, smallparticles of quartz, 'Y

flint or sand, of a size normally employed in connection with sandblasting, may be blown or otherwise forcibly caused to stick to theenamel coating. It is preferred that the quartz, flint or sand particlesshall be caused to enter the coatcles to be rigidly held to the metalfoundation;

Another way of applying the abrasive coating is shown in Figure 5, inwhich after the sand or quartz particles have been embedded in theenamel coating to the proper depth, a very thin watery solution of theenamel is sprayedover y the sand or quartz particles so that upon bakingthe enamel represents a continuous body, covering all of the sandparticles, but the superficial layer of enamel is so thin as not tointerfere with the keenness of the cutting edges normally present on thesand or quartz particles. By providing the enamel over the top surfaceof each sand particle without destroying its cutting or scouringeffects, a surface is provided which is determined solely by the qualityof the enamel and not by the quality of the sand or quartz. Thus greatersanitary effects are obtained, in addition to the added effect that eachsand particle is completely embedded in the enamel so that it isabsolutely impossible for even a single particle to be dislodged fromthe surface of the metal plate after the enamel has completely hardened.

As shown in the drawing, the upper edge of the receptacle I is left freeof coating material, and in order to limit the height of the coating ina practical manner it may be desirable to provide the receptacle I withan outwardly extending bead 28 which may be rolled or otherwise formedin the metal. A barrier (not shown) may be in- Sorted in the bead duringthe coating process to confine the abradant coating to a positionbetween the barrier and the bottom of the receptacle. The barrier isthen removed. The upper portion of the receptacle I, that is beyond thebead 28, may also have applied thereto an enamel coating but preferablywithout the addition of sand or quartz, so that the depending flanges 6may contact with a smooth surface on the receptacle. The bottom I of thereceptacle is also left free of the abradant material, but if desiredthis portion of the receptacle may be provided with a plain enamelsurface, that is without the sand or quartz particles, which surfacewill provide a sanitary effect. Thus it is seen that the entire interiorof the receptacle I is coated with enamel, and in addition that portionof the interior between the bead 28 and the bottom I', also the uppersurface of the disc 2| have abradant particles either sticking outpartialll7 from the enamel surface, as indicated in Figure 4, orcompletely embedded in the enamel coating as shown in Figure 5.

Operation In order to operate the machine, the vegetables to be peeled,particularly potatoes, are thrown in at the top of the receptacle andfall onto the disc.2|. The hose I1 is then placed in position,permitting water to flow into the receptacle downwardly along theperiphery of the disc 2| and out through the water drain opening 2. Thelever or handle I4 is then actuated in a vertical path up and down,causing the gear I2 to oscil. late, which oscillations are transferredthrough the pinion I0 to cause rocking of the shaft 8. The disc 2|,which is effectively secured to the shaft through the spider I8 and therod 23, takes on an angular motion the speed of which is controlled bythe reciprocations of the lever I'4 and the gear ratio between the gearelements I2 and l0.

The rod 2|, which moves with the disc, catches the lower surfaces ofthese vegetables resting directly on the disc and causes thesevegetables to move Yfirst in one direction at a considerable speed andthen in the opposite direction as the disc is oscillated. This agitationgives a violent motion to the vegetables as a Whole, due to thecentrifugal speed acquired by those vegetables resting directly on thedisc, so that as this motion is arrested by the immediatelysucceedingexcursion of the disc the effect is to cause the potatoes,

' or other vegetables, to rub against the abradant surfaces of thereceptacle and the disc with considerable force. Thus the outer skins ofthe vegetables are quickly removed by the abrading effects of the sandor quartz'particles which are secured in the enamel. .Inasmuch as thedepth of the cutting edges of the sand or quartz abradant is relativelysmall only the outer skins of the vegetables are removed leaving themineral salts, which collect at the outer portion of the vegetable stillintact. Y

While I am aware of the fact that abradant surfaces have heretofore beenemployed to scrape the outer skin layer of vegetables, I have found that`due to the reciprocatory manner in which the disc 2| is rotated atconsiderable speed by simply operating the lever I4, the veryconsiderable centrifugal effect acquired by the vegetables, particularlyat the time the discis changing its direction of rotation, is so greatthat a machine of the character described is far more effective -inpeeling vegetables' than those of the prior art.

Moreover, the rod 23 constitutes a veryY simple form of agitator whichcan be readily replaced, and in addition serves the other purpose ofdetachably securing the disc 2| to the spider I8'. The rod 23 ispreferably of circular cross section so as not to cut or in any othermanner mar the vegetables as it causes the latter to move first in onedirection and then in the other, thus leaving to the abrading surfacesthe sole function of removing the peel. It will be understood that whilethe greatest shuffling effect on the potatoes takes place at a levelwhere the rod 23 contacts the potatoes, the rest of the charge ofpotatoes also partakes, at least to some extent, of the oscillatorymotion during this backing and filling operation. The entire charge ofpotatoes is therefore subjected to the abrasive action of the sand orquartz particles. During this scraping operation water is let in throughthe hose I1 and the peelings, which look somewhat similar to branflakes, are carried by the water through the openings 2. The water isintroduced into the receptacle preferably at the center, as illustrated,and on flowing vertically downward the water is swished radially outwardby centrifugal effects of the oscillatory disc and the rod 23. Thiscauses a strong scouring action on the disc. The water carrying thepeelings finds direct egress from the receptacle at the openings 2,which are positioned directly in line with the ow of the water as itleaves the periphery of the disc.

It is apparent that instead of arranging the pinion l on a Vertical axisand the ring gear on a horizontal axis I may, if desired, move thesea'xes 90 degress in the fom of a wellknown gear train so that the leverI4 may be operated in a horizontal rather than a vertical direction.This arrangement has been shown in Figure 6. It is also apparent thatinasmuch as the abrasive particles are held in the enamel to a depthabove their greatest dimension, as seen in Figure 4, or as shown inFigure 5 the particles are completely embedded in the enamel but stillleaving the cutting edges effective, the particles are completelyentrapped by the enamel thus preventing any loosening whatsoever of theparticles from the metal. The entire interior of the receptacle I iscompletely sanitary and can be readily scrubbed or cleaned in any othermanner without disturbing the abrasive effects of the embeddedparticles. In order to assure a sanitary condition for the outer surfaceof the receptacle, this surface may also be treated with a suitable formof enamel and baked, as in the case of the interior surface. It may alsobe found desirable to enamel the under side of the disc 2l, but leavingoif the abrasive particles.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my inventionsuch modifications as come within the scope of the claims and theinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A machine for peeling vegetables provided with a metal inclosurehaving a metal disc near the bottom thereof, the interior surface of theinclosure and the upper surface of the disc being coated with an enamelcontaining abrasive particles, all of said particles being embedded inthe enamel to such a depth that the enamel covers the greatest dimensionof each particle.

2. A machine for peeling vegetables provided with a metal inclosurehaving a metal disc near the bottom thereof, the interior surface of theinclosure and the upper surface of the disc being coated with an enamel,abrasive particles all embedded in said enamel, and a thin layer ofenamel sprayed over all of said particles whereby each particle iscompletely inclosed within the enamel but the cutting edges of eachparticle remain effective.

3. A peeling machine comprising a receptacle for vegetables to be peeledand a revoluble disc having an abrasive surface, a rod extending overthe entire diametral length of said disc but spaced therefrom andadapted to agitate the vegetables to be peeled.

4. A machine for peeling vegetables provided with a metal cylinder, arotatable shaft extending along the axis of the cylinder and secured toa spider at the bottom, a disc resting on said spider and meansincluding a rod extending over said disc for clamping the disc to thespider, said disc and the interior of the cylinder being coated with anabradant material, and means for rocking said shaft whereby thevegetable content is agitated by said rod causing all surfaces of theVegetables to be presented successively to the abrasive surfaces of thecylinder and disc.

5. A machine for peeling vegetables provided with a metal cylinder, arotatable shaft extending along the axis of the cylinder and secured toa spider at the bottom, a disc resting on said spider, the upper surfaceof said disc and the interior surface of said cylinder being coated withan abradant material, means for rotating said shaft, and means in commonfor securing the disc to said spider and for agitating the vegetables inthe cylinder whereby each portion of the surface of each vegetable ispresented successively to the abradant material, said means comprising arod which extends over a substantial portion of the disc.

6. A machine for peeling vegetables provided with a metal cylinder, arotatable shaft extending along the axis of the cylinder and secured toa spider at the bottom, a disc resting on said spider, the upper surfaceof said disc and the interior surface of said cylinder being coated withan abradant material, means including a rod which extends over asubstantial portion of the disc and parallel thereto for detachablysecuring said disc to the spider, and means for rotating said shaft.

'7. A machine for peeling vegetables provided with a metal cylinder, arotatable shaft extendingalong the axis of the cylinder and secured to aspider at the bottom, a disc resting on said spider, the upper surfaceof said disc and the interior surface of said cylinder being coated withan abradant material, means for rotating said shaft, and means in commonfor securing the disc to said spider and for agitating the vegetables inthe cylinder whereby each portion o1' the surface of each vegetable ispresented successively to the abradant material, said lastmentionedmeans comprising a rod which extends over said disc and hooks about thelower edge of the spider.

HERBERT W. EAKINS.

